Mowgli jumped into the trees and swung across the jungle, eventually arriving at a riverbank. He called out "hello?" before the small screech was heard again. He ran to where it came from, eventually finding the splintered wreck of the boat the men had escaped on. He saw the bodies of the men lying dead on the river and the boat, before hearing the screech again.

The sound came from the basket, which still lay on the boat's edge. The objects inside were covered by a cloth. Mowgli said to himself "it's that basket the tiger wanted."

Mowgli inched closer to it, lifting up the cloth to see the treasure inside. Mowgli suddenly backed up as small striped paws stuck out and waved at him. Mowgli grabbed a stick to protect himself as he looked at the basket.

It was a cub. A female tiger cub, laying softly in the basket. As Mowgli pointed the stick, the tiger took it in her teeth and pulled, taking it out of Mowgli's hands. Mowgli stepped to the back of the boat and grabbed one of the extinguished torches. Mowgli said "stay back. I'll burn... no wait, I'll hit you!"

Mowgli then slowly lowered his torch as he saw the cub. The tiger crawled clumsily out of the basket, fondling with and biting the stick she had taken from Mowgli. The cub walked over to Mowgli and knocked him down. Mowgli tried to push himself up as the tiger crawled up to his face and began sniffing his hair.

The tiger then smiled at Mowgli and began licking his face, causing the mancub to laugh and say "hey, stop that. It tickles."

He held the cub in his hands, holding her by her midsection and pulling her from his face as he stood up. He said "hey, you're not that bad. What's your name?"

The cub didn't speak, but purred softly as she began swatting one of her paws on Mowgli's face. Mowgli said "where are your parents?"

The cub looked around for them, but turned to Mowgli. The mancub then thought back to the glade. Seeing the tiger getting killed. It all makes sense now. The tiger was protecting his cub. Just like my father.

Mowgli held the cub close to his chest, saying "don't worry, little one. We'll... find them."

Mowgli carried the cub in his arms into the jungle. The cub would need nourishment soon. Maybe mother will take care of her he thought to himself. After all, she took care of me.

But then, he remembered Grey's words. He couldn't bring a tiger home when his brother was in such a state. Perhaps someone else could take care of her.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Ikki the porcupine opened the latch of his den, before tensing in fright as he said "aargh! TIGER!"

"Hello, Ikki." Mowgli said. "I have this cub. Could you..."

"Ikki? Who's Ikki? I'm not Ikki, who's that? Gotta go! It's getting late! Goodnight!" Ikki said as he closed the branch over his den. Mowgli said "I wonder what he's in such a hurry for." as he bounced the tiger up and down. He knew all too well why, but he didn't want to hurt the cub's feelings.

After receiving similar reactions from the pangolins, turtles and buffalo, Mowgli searched all over the jungle for someone to take the cub in. Mowgli sighed and said "it's not fair. Surely there's someone who'll want you."

Eventually, the sun began to rise as Mowgli and the cub arrived in a deep forested area. A voice suddenly said "say now. What's that you have there, mancub?"

"Who said that?" Mowgli asked, before turning to see a female dhole walking out of the bushes. Mowgli said "who are you?"

"My name is Hatyaara. But you may call me Hatya." The red dog said "and I see that's a tiger cub. Where are her parents?"

"I don't think she has any." Mowgli answered as the cub started licking his face. "She needs someone to take care of her."

"So, she is all alone?"

"Yes. She was taken from her parents by man, but I saved her."

"Oh, of course, you must be Mowgli, the tiger-slayer of the Seoni."

"Well, I am the first one at least. But I need to get her to someone safe. Nobody else wants to take her in."

Hatya paced back and forth, pretending to think as she smiled ominously at the cub, saying "very well. I will take care of her."

"Will you really?" Mowgli said, overjoyed.

"Of course. I've always wanted cubs of my own. There's nothing more I'd want than to be a mother."

"Alright." Mowgli said, before leaving the cub on the floor and saying to her "I'll miss you. Be a good little cub, alright?"

The cub nodded, before Mowgli pushed her over to Hatya. As Hatya said "come, dear little one, let me show you to your new... aarrgghh!"

Hatya stepped back as the cub swiped her paw, scratching her across the face. The cub ran back over to Mowgli as the mancub said "I'm so sorry! I didn't expect that. She's never lashed out at anyone before."

"It's... fine. Ow!" Hatya said as she licked the wound on the side of her face. She added "it's only a working progress. I'm sure she'll grow out of it."

Mowgli looked down at the cub, who hissed at the dhole as she kept close to Mowgli's chest. Mowgli then said "I'm sorry, Hatya but... I don't think it's right for her to stay here. It's obvious she doesn't like you and... well, I've seen what tigers can do to creatures they don't like. Maybe it's better if she went somewhere else."

"Oh, no worries at all." Hatya said, before adding "but I will watch your cub grow with great interest."

Mowgli carried the cub and walked off, the cub hissing at Hatya from over Mowgli's shoulder.

"I don't get it." Mowgli said as he walked through the jungle. "She seemed nice. And she always wanted to have her own cubs. Why didn't you like her?"

The cub held close to Mowgli's chest, yawning quietly. Mowgli laid the cub on a nearby rock to rest, before saying "don't worry. We'll find someone you'll like. Maybe Baloo can take care of you. Of course, you'll have to be able to climb if you're gonna get him some honey, but it's okay. I've got some tricks to help you."

"Mowgli!" a voice called. Mowgli then said "I'm over here, Bagheera!"

The panther climbed down from a nearby tree and said "where have you been, mancub? I've been searching for you all night! You know there might have been more tigers in the jungle like the one you saw last night!"

"Oh yeah, about that." Mowgli said, before adding "do you remember those men with the basket last night?"

"What basket?" Bagheera said as Mowgli led him to the rock. To his surprise, there was nothing there, as Bagheera added "they were stealing rocks? I suppose that was enough for you to go after them, was it?"

"No, it wasn't rocks. She was right here."

"Who?" Bagheera asked, before something jumped onto his back and knocked him down. Mowgli laughed as the cub jumped on Bagheera's head and began nibbling on his ear playfully. "Mowgli, what's going on!?" Bagheera said as he stood to his feet and walked towards the mancub, the tiger grabbing onto his back legs and holding on tightly.

"I found her in the basket. She was all alone."

"And the tiger in the glade?"

"Her father."

"Hm. I thought so. So, what are you doing with her, might I ask?"

"I'm looking for someone to take care of her. But everyone I've asked either doesn't like her or she doesn't like them."

"Oh, I wonder why that might be." Bagheera said, before falling to the ground as the cub crawled up to his face, licking his ear loudly. Mowgli said "hey, I know. Why don't you take care of her?"

"ME? No, you can't be serious!" the panther said as he tried to push the cub away, only for the tiger to jump onto his head again. Mowgli said "sure, she likes you. And you're probably the most mature creature in this jungle."

"I really appreciate that, Mowgli." Bagheera answered sarcastically as the cub started swatting at his nose playfully. Mowgli said "but Bagheera, you have to. I can't bring her back to the wolves, they'll kill her."

Bagheera sighed and said "can't we just return her to her own kind?"

"But her father's dead. Where are we going to find anymore tigers?"

"Water Mountain." Bagheera said as he pointed to the large mountain range in the distance behind Mowgli. "The tigers have a settlement on the other side."

"But Bahan can't last the trip."

"Bahan? Oh no."

"Yeah, that's what I've decided to call her." Mowgli said as he picked up Bahan, who licked his face. "No Mowgli. You're not keeping her. Which means you're not naming her! She's a tiger, for goodness' sake!"

"But she's only a cub."

"Look at your chest Mowgli!" Bagheera said as he pointed to the claw marks above Mowgli's stomach. "Think about what she could do to you when she's older."

"Is that what you thought when you found me?"

Hearing these words caused Bagheera to think, slumping onto the ground as Bahan played with a butterfly nearby. Bagheera eventually said "fine then... I'll take her with me."

"Oh, thank you Bagheera." Mowgli said as he picked up Bahan and brought her over to the panther, saying "trust me. I know you'll be a great father."

"Mowgli, I said I'd take her with me. That doesn't mean I'm adopting her."

Mowgli then said "okay fine. Bahan, you go with Bagheera now, alright. Stay close to him."

Bahan nodded, before jumping onto Bagheera and clumsily climbing onto his back. Bagheera initially faltered under the burden, but regained balance and said "Mowgli, if I end up regretting this..."

"Don't worry, you won't. Well, I better get back to the pack. See you later Bagheera." Mowgli said as he ran back to Council Rock, leaving Bagheera and Bahan to themselves.